Landing ski for airplanes



Aprfl 8, 1941. P. a. BILLING5 LANDING SKI FOR AIIRPLANES Filed Feb. 3, 1940 Patented Apr. 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LANDING SKI FOR AIR/PLANES .Percy G. Billings, Bangor, Maine Application February 3, 1940, Serial No. 317,176 r 7 Claims. (mast-13) V This invention relates to a landing ski for airplanes, and it is an object of the invention to provide a ski of this kind provided with means whereby it may be readily applied to the airplane without the necessity of removing the wheel or wheels of the usual landing. gear.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a ski of this kind provided with means so that it maybe readily appliedto a wheel of the landing gear of an airplane and in a manner whereby the usual tire of such wheel continues to provide means to absorb the landing shocks and also to continue to support the weight of the airplane.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ski of this kind provided with means for maintaining the same'in working position and wherein is also provided a detachable runway for the ski, said runway being of a character to prevent the ski from sliding away when the wheel of the airplane has initial contact with the ski.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ski having means whereby the same may be operatively engaged withthe wheel of the landing gear of the airplane and wherein the ski is firmly maintained in position and so braced as to be free of forward, sideways or upward movement relative to the wheel with which it is engaged.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved landing ski whereby certain important advantages are attaineda'nd the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanyin drawing, whereinz- .Figure 1 isa view in side elevation of a ski constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention and in applied position, the flexible runway andthe usual shock cords being indicate'dby broken lines;

Figure 2 is a view intop plan of the ski as illustrated in Figure 1 with associated parts and a second position of the-frames being illustrated by broken lines; a

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1 with the wheel of the landing gear of the plane omitted;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a portion of the means as herein disclosed for detachably connecting the flexible runway to the ski;

Figure 5 is a fragmentar view in top plan of the end portion of the flexible runway as herein embodied for detachable connection with the ski.

, It is to be stated that one of my improved skis is to be employed in connection with each of the wheels of the running gear of an airplane but for the purposes of disclosure it is believed that a de scription and illustration of a single ski is sufficient.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing, S denotes a ski of desired dimensions and which is provided at its opposite end portions at substantially its transverse center with the upstanding brackets lwith which are adapted to be engaged the usual shock cords indicated at 2 in Figure 1.

At adesired point intermediate its ends the ski S has hingedly connected therewith the frames 'A and B spaced apart in a direction lengthwise of the ski for a distance materially less than the diameter of thetire T on a wheel W comprised in the landing gear of an airplane. As herein disclosed, each of the frames is substantially rectangular in form and the lower cross member 3 of each of the frames A and B is pivotally or swingingly held to the ski S by the cap bearings 4 aligned transversely of the ski. The side bars 5 of each of the frames A and B are of a length less than the diameter of the tire T but of a length to allow the top bar 6 of the frameAor B to engage over the tire T at a point materially inwardly of the tire T as is particularly illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing.

'The side bars 5 of the forward frame A have interposed therebetween and connected thereto a rigid crossed bracing rod or bar I disposed on an outbow of desired radius. This bracing rod or bar I engaged with the side bars 5 of the frame A is to beengaged by the vertical central portion of the front part of the tire when the ski is in applied or working position.

The central portion of the bracing bar or rod 1, as herein disclosed, is provided with a pair of forwardl disposed spaced ears 8 between which is received an eye 9 carried by one end portion of an elongated strut Ill. A bolt H is disposed through the ears 8 and the eye 9 whereby the strut I0 is detachably engaged with the bracing rod orbar 1. The opposite end portion of this strut II] is also provided with an eye member II which is received within a channel bracket l2 secured to the forward end portion of the ski S and disposed lengthwise thereof. The side walls of this bracket l2 are provided with the longitudinally spaced openings I4 through which the bolt 15 is selectively passed and also through the eye member H. The strut l0 serves to effectively brace the frame A when in raised or working position against the action of the wheel W thereagainst.

While the strut i8 is effective as a bracing medium yet to further brace the frame A when in raised position, the wire cables It may be connected, as at H, to the side members 5 of the frame A at points preferably coplanar with the bracing rod or bar I. These cables l6 extend rearwardly of the ski and are hooked, as at It, or otherwise operatively engaged with the upwardly and rearwardly disposed brackets l9 secured to the rear portion of the ski S at the opposite sides thereof.

When the frames A and B are in their raised or working positions as illustrated in Figure 1, they are maintained in such position by the tie bars 29 which are detachably anchored to the upper portions of the side bars 5 of the frames A and B by the bolts 2|.

When not in use the frames A and B may assume a lowered position in close contact with the ski S as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2. However, when a ski is to be applied the front frame A is raised and maintained in such raised position through the instrumentality of the strut l0 and/or the cables I 6.

An elongated flexible runway R of canvas or other suitable flexible material is then connected at one end portion with the rear extremity of the ski S. As herein disclosed, said end portion of the runway R is provided with suitably positioned openings 22 whereby the runway B may be engaged over the brackets l and I9. This runway R is of such a length that when the airplane is taxied to bring the wheel W upon the ski S, said wheel W will first ride upon the runway R thus enabling the weight of the airplane to hold the ski S in desired position and particularly at the time the wheel W initially contacts with and rides upon the rear portion of the ski S. The wheel W continues along the ski until the tire T contacts with the bracing rod or bar whereupon the rear frame B is raised into working position and the tie bars 20 applied.

After the ski S has been properly mounted the runway R. is removed.

It is believed to be apparent from the foregoing that my improved ski can be quickly and readily applied in working position and removed with equal facility.

It is also believed to be readily apparent that with my improved ski it is unnecessary to remove the tire T with the resultant advantages of having the tire T to continue to absorb landing shocks in the usual manner as the weight of the airplane will continue to rest upon the tire.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a landing ski constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will. also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the sevh eral parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A ski for the landing gear of an airplane, holding frames, means for hingedly connecting said frames to the ski at points spaced lengthwise of the ski, said frames being of such dimensions as to engage over a wheel of the landing gear to hold the ski in close engagement with the wheel, means detachably engaged with said frames for holding the same in desired position with respect to the wheel of the landing gear, the forward holding frame including side bars, a cross bar connecting said side bars to provide a stop for coaction with the wheel of the landing gear, and a bracing strut coacting with the cross bar and with the ski at a point in advance of the forward frame.

2. In combination, a ski, means carried by the ski for holding the ski to a wheel of the landing gear of an airplane, a runway, and means for detachably connecting the runway with the rear portion of the ski.

3. In combination, a ski, means carried by the ski for holding the ski to a wheel of the landing gear of an airplane, a runway, and means for detachably connecting the runway with the rear portion of the ski, said runway being flexible.

4. A landing ski for the landing gear of an airplane, means carried by the ski for detachably engaging the ski with a wheel of the landing gear of the airplane, and a runway associated with the rear portion of the ski, said runway also providing means to hold the ski while the landing gear rides onto the ski.

5. A landing ski for the landing gear of an airplane, means carried by the ski for detachably engaging the ski with a wheel of the landing gear of the airplane, and a flexible runway associated with the rear portion of the ski, said runway also providing means to hold the ski while the landing gear rides onto the ski.

6. A ski for the landing gear of an airplane wherein said gear includes a wheel having a pneumatic tire, holding frames, means for hingedly connecting said frames to the ski at points spaced lengthwise of the ski, said frames being of such dimensions as to engage over from above the tire of the wheel of the landing gear to hold the ski in close engagement with the wheel, means detachably engaged with said frames for holding the same in desired position with respect to the wheel of the landing gear, and a bracing means coacting with the forward holding frame and the ski.

7. A ski for the landing gear of an airplane, holding frames, means for hingedly connecting said frames to the ski at points spaced lengthwise of the ski, said frames being of such dimensions as to engage over a wheel of the landing gear to hold the ski in close engagement with the wheel, means detachably engaged with said frames for holding the same in desired position with respect to the wheel of the landing gear, the forward holding frame including side bars, a cross bar connecting said side bars to provide a stop for coaction with the wheel of the landing gear, and a bracing means coacting with the forward holding frame and ski.

PERCY G. BILLINGS. 

